


What It Takes

by iPhonesIn1997



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Arson, Bruce Wayne is Not Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Bad Parent, But not from Bruce, Character Death, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Child Abuse, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Dark Bruce Wayne, Dark Damian Wayne, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Dick Grayson Whump, Gen, Ghosts, Haunted Houses, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt Jason Todd, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Tim Drake, I made you super gross : (, I'm Sorry Bruce Wayne, I'm Sorry Dick Grayson, I'm Sorry Jason Todd, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Red Hood, M/M, Major Character Injury, NO CAPES, Necrophilia, Past Child Abuse, Pedophilia, Psychological Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Abuse, Starvation, Talking To Dead People, They all need a hug, This fanfic is fucked, Torture, Touch-Starved, Was, Wayne Manor, like really bad, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2020-12-17 08:11:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21051146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iPhonesIn1997/pseuds/iPhonesIn1997
Summary: The mansion was old and nearing collapse in some areas, the siding's paint torn away after years and years with no one to keep the building in shape. The gardens were overgrown and their beauty lost, the pool covered in algae and other plants with no one to clean it let alone swim in it. The windows shattered and the roof caved. It was a sad sight to behold, but one within reason after what had happened in Wayne Manor.





	1. To Face Your Fears

**Author's Note:**

> So.. I guess I really just jumped into the deep end, huh? This'll get really dark, but I'm hoping updates will be faster than A Magical Mission since I don't have to reread the Harry Potter books for it. 
> 
> Some aspects are loosely base on In the Birdcage by Rarberba Girl

_ All of this over a dumb dare,  _ Wally thought idley as he stood in front of the Manor. It was old, the paint chipped away at points and the old roof sunken in. Most of the windows were shattered and the gardens overgrown, Wayne Manor was the epitome of an abandoned home. Though after the supposed tragedies that had happened there, it was no surprise the mansion didn’t ever get put on the market. Not that Wally figured it’d sell well.

There was also those startling rumors of a small child’s voice -- No, not just voice, screams. Crying for help that never came. -- and a man yelling, grunting. Then there was the suspicious stains that appeared and disappeared, and the strange amount of cleaning and medical supplies being misplaced. Basically a bunch a paranormal nonsense that Wally  _ definitely _ did not believe in. But of course Roy thought it would be fun to have him break into the rundown Wayne Manor. 

“C’mon Wally! Stop stalling.” Roy called from aways behind him. Wally sighed, wishing he’d chosen better friends.

He tried the rusted door handle, only to find the heavy door creaking open instead of it being locked like Wally expected. He cringed as he peaked in, the foyer coming into view. The first thing he noticed was the debris, it looked as if there had been a struggle or that maybe someone had trashed the place. On either side of the stairs there was a vase, though one was shattered on the floor with its porcelain scattered underfoot. The other vase had intricate designs painted and carved on the work of art. As the teen looked around he realized broken pots and vases seemed to be commonplace within the manor, as the foyer alone had more than a few with dirt scattered across the worn floorboards and decaying plants littered what used to be a fine room. 

The boards creaked under his feet as he moved towards and up the short stairwell that led up to the great hall, which seemed in even greater disarray. Or Wally was considering it more of a mess considering there was  _ a whole ass chandelier on the floor _ . Crystals and glass were scattered everywhere and upon shining his flashlight on the mangled chandelier he was met with a very,  _ very _ suspicious stain that looked  _ a lot  _ like blood. 

“R-Roy!” Wally called, his voice  _ not  _ shaking and anyone who says otherwise can kindly screw off. Despite appearing to be an asshole, Roy was by Wally’s side in seconds.

“What is it?” He asked, and in response Wally just shined the light on the chandelier once more. “...Gross, but not unexpected, Walls. You’ve heard the stories, Bruce Wayne apparently killed several children and staff back in the 1940s, 50s.” 

“Yeah, but I thought those were rumors!” Roy shook his head slowly.

“Did you do any research before coming here? Buce Wayne was a total psycho, apparently Ollie knew him at one point or his parents did. The man passed away in 1996 after some freak accident, honestly I bet someone figured out he touched his kids.” 

“Shit..” Wally muttered as he shined the flashlight around the walls of the room, portraits of Wayne and his kids hung on the wall. They couldn’t have been that old when they were killed,when any of this happened. “We should go, Roy. This is fucked.” 

“Wally! Chickening out wasn’t part of the dare, at least spend the week here. I doubt it’ll be that bad.” 

“A week!? At least don’t leave me alone, I’m like 90% sure that isn’t just blood under the chandelier.” Wally said, wrapping his arms around himself.

“Yeah, sure. So long as you do it, probably for the best anyway. Gotta make sure you don’t just skip out. Let’s get some food for the week real quick though, I don’t think Kaldur wants to be on supply runs this time.” Roy laughed, bumping Wally’s shoulder playfully. 

The teens headed toward the door only to find it locked, not budging even the slightest bit. Wally looked back at Roy with wide eyes.

“The door isn’t budging, Roy.” Wally claimed shakily, earning an eye roll from the older teen.

“Yeah, sure.” Roy responded as he pushed Wally out of the way to try the door himself. 

“Roy..” Wally began as Roy fiddled with the doorknob.

“ _ What _ , Wally?” He grumbled. 

“Someone is here,” He said, frozen in place as he shone his flashlight on a dark figure, that despite the yellow light shining stayed a black silhouette. Roy looked behind himself, only to find that someone  _ was _ there. 

“Oi, who are you?” Roy called to the figure.

“What are you doing in my home?” Came the dark voice, it wasn’t  _ natural.  _ The room filled with a cold breeze from the slightest word he uttered from his mouth.

“What are you?” Wally asked shakily.

“Your worst nightmare.” The silhouette claimed cheesily, snapping his fingers and suddenly the floor was gone. Below Wally and Roy was only a dark void and the cold air around them.

\-----

Wally groaned, his head throbbed and his eyelids felt heavy, in fact his whole body felt heavy. Then there were those pesky, annoying voices that wouldn’t just let him sleep. Then the memories came rushing back, Wayne Manor, the silhouette, Roy. He sat up quickly, his head spinning but the voices seemed clearer now and he focused on those.

“Please, I’m just trying to help!” A young voice, clearly in distress, pleaded.

“How do I know you aren’t with that man?” Roy asked coldly, holding something that Wally couldn’t identify toward the boy.

“I- Please, I’m not. Just don’t hurt me..” The small voice begged, weak and submissive.

“Roy..?” Wally spoke, his head still spinning.

“Walls!” Roy, kneeled in front of him, abandoning the boy. “Are you okay?”

“Head.” He groaned.

“I-” The boy cleared his throat, “I could help you, make the spinning go away?” 

“Oh yeah? How?” Roy glared at the boy, who shrunk back from the scrutinizing look.

“Let him help, Roy.” Wally muttered, and the boy seemed to perk up at being allowed to help. Putting his hand over the younger ginger’s head a blue mist like aura gently flowed from his hand, the boy seemed to be struggling to use the blue aura but held strong. He fell back against a wall in the small room once he had finished healing (or at least that was what Roy assumed it was.) Wally.

“Now what the hell was that?” Roy demanded harshly.

“Oh- um.. I can take other people’s pain as my own.” The boy responded shakily, keeping his eyes fixed to the ground. 

“What? Take it back then!” Wally exclaimed, the boy didn’t seem like he could be much older than six or seven. Who even was this kid.

“Shhh,” The small boy hissed, he eyes darting around warily, “He may hear you, he can’t get in here but we need to avoid him knowing.” 

“Who is ‘he’? And who are you, why have you got glowy hands?” Roy asked.

“He is Bruce, the guy you accused me of working for.” The boy seemed to have gained the confidence to glare up at the teen. “And my name is Dick and I don’t know why I have ‘glowy hands’, it just sort of happened after the ah.. Incident.” 

“Wait.. Bruce, as in Bruce Wayne?” The boy - Dick - glanced around again before nodding hastily. “But.. He’s dead! And.. and so are you. You’re Dick Grayson! What kind of name is that, did your parents hate you or something?” Roy spoke, noting how Dick flinched at the name Grayson.

“Yes, now please be quiet, he’ll hear us. He  _ can’t  _ hear us.” Dick pleaded, his eyes wide and glossy. 

“Why don’t you want him to hear us?” Wally asked dumbly, earning a glare from Roy and a teary eyed gaze from Dick.

“He’s a bad man. A  _ really  _ bad man, he hurts us and he’ll hurt you if he finds you.” Dick explained.

“What do you mean ‘us’? You mean there are more of you guys?” Roy asked suspiciously.

“My brothers, they are safe. I keep them safe.” Dick nodded sternly, his speech seeming to break the more he spoke.

“I’m sure you do, but can you help us out of here?” Wally asked gently.

“No.. I can’t let you out of the Manor…”

“What the hell, kid?! So you’ll just leave us?” Roy shrieked, the boy shrinking back from Roy’s loud voice.

“I can’t let you out, Bruce controls the manor, I can only do little things.” Dick tried to explain, his voice timid.

“So how do we get out of here?” Wally prompted, keeping Roy from talking as the teen was still seething.

“You could get rid of Bruce?” He looked so hopeful at the idea. “Alfred will know, he know a lot. Jason can help too, and Timmy. Dami… Dami won’t like it, he like Bruce.” Dick struggled with his words, the boy seemed to switch from mature to childish in mere seconds, it was strange.

“Umm.. How do we do that?” Roy asked.

“Kill him!” Came a teen voice, and a mop of black hair with a shock of white appeared from the floor. Dick nodded gleefully at the young teen’s declaration.


	2. To Kill a Dead Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Jason explain somethings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Super_ dialogue heavy.

“Kill him?!” Wally shrieked, Dick immediately shushing him while the unnamed teen nodded vigorously with a manic smile. 

“You want us to kill a dead man?” Roy asked with a brow raised and a deadpan tone. “Also, who the hell are you?”

“Yup, that’s what I said. You deaf or something?” The teen snickered to himself, earning an elbow to the side from Dick. 

“Oh, this is my little brother, Jason.” Dick said proudly, reaching up to pat the kid’s head.

“Little? He looks quite a bit older than you.” Wally protested.

“Dead people shenanigans, genius.” Jason snarked, rolling his eyes while Dick pouted at Wally, mumbling under his breath.

“Okay, but why?” Roy started, “Why those specific ages? Wouldn’t your appearance stay the same after you died?” 

“Actually, Timmy has a theory that we are physically the age we were happiest at. Or I guess before everything got bad.” Dick shrugged

“‘Got bad’” Jason mocked with a snort, leaning back on the mildewy wall.

“Okay, so where is this ‘Timmy’? And you mentioned a Dami?” Roy asked.

“Tim? No clue where he goes, doesn’t have that much of an issue with Bruce.” Jason sneered.

“He just.. His situation was different, Jay.” Dick protested weakly.

“Oh yeah, so that gives him a right to help that.. That monster?” Then younger hissed.

“He was just confused and I already forgave him, Jay!” 

“‘Have no clue why you’d do that, Dickhead.” 

“Um, hello? You just asked us to kill your dead dad and we don’t have a clue how to do it?” Wally interrupted, quite clearly distressed.

“Don’t call him our dad, asshole.” Jason shouted at the ginger, his teal eyes turning to a glowing fluorescent green.

“Jay..” Dick cooed, rubbing a soothing hand down Jason’s back causing the green to die down.

“What the fuck?” Roy said eloquently.

“Small ears.” Dick protested, covering Jason’s ears and earning a very deadpan “I’m 20, shitwad.”

“Some questions,” Wally began, “One, where is ‘Dami’? Two, how the hell do you gauge ages? I’m confused.”

“Oh, Dami is still alive! I think he gave up on us though. He used to stop by, tried to take us with him but he hasn’t since Bruce came back.” Dick explained sadly.

“He wanted to take you, Goldie.” Jason corrected, “And we typically go off of when we died, we’d all be nearly one hundred if we bothered to do the math though.” 

“And you said this Alfred guy could tell us how to get rid of Wayne?” Roy questioned, earning a nod from Dick.

“You two know any witches or magic users? Something of that sort?” Jason started, “‘Cause if you do I could probably stall long enough for you to get out of here and get them, you’ll just have to come back.” 

“You know how to do this?” Roy asked suspiciously.

“Sure, I’ve spent like, eighty years hating this man and you think I don’t know how to kill him?”

“How do you know we won’t just leave?” Wally wondered aloud.

“I’ll haunt you for the rest of your pathetic life if you leave us here.” Jason seethed with a glare.

“We could even come with you if you can figure out how to unlink us from the manor!” Dick said excitedly, practically glowing.

“What do you mean ‘unlink you from the manor’?” Wally asked hesitantly.

“Good going, Dickhead.”

“Er, I can’t leave the manor and Jay can’t either. I don’t know about the others.” Dick explained hesitantly, “Timmy has a theory about that too, something about the house and where we died, maybe how too.”

“So what you’re saying is that we could get even more stuck here?” Roy questioned fiercely. 

“It may be just Bruce who can link people to the house, we haven’t really gotten to test it. If you wanted us out of here, I’d say you best bet is taking our bodies out of the house or off the grounds.” Jason replied easily.

“This is insane.” Wally complained, holding his head in his hands.

“It’ll be easy, I already know where Dick’s is.” Jason reassured.

“Wait, since when?” Dick shouted before Jason slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Shut up, only reason I know about it is ‘cause liked to do gross shit to it before he was sent to prison.” He hissed, “It should be in an old cedar chest in his study, it shouldn’t be too bad anymore, just a skeleton.”

“He wouldn’t even stop after I died..?” The boy muttered, dazed.

“Still gross..” Wally muttered.

“Why should we do this? And you know how suspicious it would be to carry that into town?” Roy said.

“You just need to get it off grounds, the hard part is getting past Bruce. Also, trying to find me.” Jason stated.

“Yeah, and how are we supposed to that, O Great One.” Roy responded sarcastically. 

“Dick’ll distract Bruce and we’ll go grab the body, simple enough.” 

“And why can’t you deal with the asshole?” Roy sneered.

“He’s always liked Dick better, also he hates my guts. Anyway, lets move out!” 

“I didn’t agree to this.” Dick argued with a frown.

“You did now, it’d for freedom, Dickhead.” Jason insisted before pushing the boy through the musty wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their ages when they died.  
Alfred - 98  
Bruce - 88  
Dick - 21  
Jason - 15/20  
Tim - 18  
Damian - 77 (Still alive)


	3. To Be a Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick talks with Bruce. Jason, Wally, and Roy venture to the study and meet up with someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Life has been busy! Speech, Drama, and Debate season just ended though, so I should be a bit more active and more activity means more updates!

The instant cold that filled his being was anything but natural, his insides gnarled into an impossible knot of fear. Dick hadn’t even seen the man of his nightmares and yet he was frozen, stuck on the floor with only his arms pushing his torso up.  _ Why  _ did it have to be him? Dick understood Jason’s reasoning (or perhaps it was just Jason’s fear to stand in front of  Bruce that monster.), He had always favored Dick over the others for his twisted needs. Though that did not mean Dick was pleased with his development, he scanned the kitchen Jason had pushed him into. The kitchen was still within the safe zone, Alfred’s domain that was clear from His wrath. Actually, if Dick really thought about it, the kitchen was more like the border between Alfred’s domain and the rest of the Manor. Alfred’s magic didn’t have as much of an effect in the room, so Bruce could still cross into, but not far or for long.

“Bruce?” Dick called, his voice definitely not quaking and cracking in that prepubescent way it had started since Bruce had wrapped that large hand around Dick’s thin neck.

A dark cloud appeared at the doorway, like smoke that filled your lungs until you can’t breathe. Like a firm hand crushing your larynx even as you pull and scratch and beg and  _ cry,  _ the hand never letting up it's just there. Always there, it never fades, the unbearable pressure and suddenly there are two hands and a gruff voice telling you to shut up and  _ take it _ .

“Dickie, when are you going to finally come back to me?” That same gruff voice whispers as if those lips that have touched every section of Dick’s body no matter the age are right against his ear. He startles away from the man, if you could even consider him that. 

“Never, just let us  _ go _ .” Dick pleads, even if he knows it is a hopeless case and his voice cracks around the words as tears begin to well up in the boy’s beautiful blue eyes.

“You know I’ve always loved it when those blue eyes cried, always wished I could take them with me.” Bruce cooed with a manic smile as he caressed the dead man’s cheek. “I sometimes thought of scooping them out of you skull, but then I would’ve never gotten to see those eyes widen and tear up as I squeezed the life out of your neck.” 

Dick flinched away from the man’s touch, only for a large hand to grip his suddenly very solid wrist when he even thought to pull away.

“You called me here, Dickie,” Bruce growled at the teary-eyed ghost, “Now you’re going to stay with me.” 

\-----

“Let’s move out, we’ve only got so long.” Jason insisted, pushing the two living men towards the door. 

“Y-you just offered up your brother to the man who tormented you both for a decade?” Wally asked, frozen in shock staring at the wall which Dick disappeared through. 

“Puh-lease, he’ll be fine. Dick’s a big boy, he can handle the maniac for a few minutes while we gather up some bones. Easy shit.” Jason waved a hand as if the man hadn’t murdered him and his brother. “Now, follow. And do try to keep up.” With those words, the ghost shifted through the door with an echoing laugh.

“Whatever, we need to move, Wally.” Roy urged, grabbing the younger by the wrist and tugging him along through the door. 

The hallway on the opposite side of the door was strange, at least for the exterior of the Manor to be so unkempt as well as the foyer. The hall seemed strangely pristine, as if someone had just done some deep cleaning, and recently as well. Which was odd, considering the condition of the rest of the manor. Jason was already at the end of the hallway, goading them to hurry up.

"I wish our guide was a bit more kind." Roy muttered, dragging Wally down the oddly pristine hallway.

"At least he's helping us at all." Wally muttered, glancing back in the direction of the room. In the direction Dick disappeared through.

"Walls, he's dead. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Yeah.."

\-----

"You were always so pretty, Dickie.." Bruce cooed, softly holding Dick's jaw. "I especially liked you when you were this young, innocent. So untouched, all mine.." He tightened his grip on the boy's face, Dick's eyes screwed tightly shut. "That is until you decided to be a  _ whore  _ once you got older."

"You're sick." 

"Me? I offered you nothing but love and affection and you had to go run off with your little girlfriend, Barbara was it? Too bad she had to die, Dickie." Bruce traced his hands up the sides of Dick's neck, the kid leaning away from the touch in disgust.

"That was all you, Bruce. You're just lucky someone took the blame for you." Dick said, backing away from the man's touch.

"Whatever you say, Dickiebird. It's such a shame Jay had to fuck up our lives, if he hadn't tried to tell I wouldn't have had to get rid of you. Such a waste of good cock slut." Bruce said in false sympathy, a twisted, crazed expression spread across his face. 

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that. I don’t know if you’ve noticed,  _ Bruce _ , but you can’t hurt us anymore.” The boy seethed, “You’ve already killed off your toys and with that, you gave us protection, you lost.” 

“Oh, that’s what you think, Dickie. If you’re so safe and out of my control, why haven’t you left? You’re still where I want you to be, and soon this zone of yours will be mine as well.” Bruce replied calmly, as if he were reciting a piece of literature and something just as mundane. “I think you’re just lying to yourself, pretty boy. Don’t you remember what happened every time one of my boys tried to escape?”

Dick stayed silent, flashes of memories rushing back. He’d learned quickly not to rebel, but the infliction of pain and watching others suffer can knock the common sense right out of a person. He’s tried to get Jason, Tim, and Dami out of the manor multiple times, he’d take their punishments for them. He was always Bruce’s favorite, as Jason always made sure to point out.

“That’s what I thought, Alfred can’t protect you forever, baby boy. You’re still mine, no matter what you believe.”

“What makes you say that?” Dick challenged with a glare, trying and failing to seem intimidating in the small form his body held.

“Even if you leave,” The monster walked around the boy, “You’ll always be stuck with what I’ve left in your mind, your memories. Your life is gone, it’s mine. And your afterlife is the same.” 

\-----

“How close are we?” Wally whined, stumbling along behind Jason. “It feels like we’ve been walking forever.”

“It’s just down this hall, Bruce’s study. I’m warning you that there may be some pretty disturbing stuff in there, Bruce was a gross and twisted man.” Jason cautioned, floating towards the door and pulling it open slightly. 

Jason motioned for them to enter the room, the first thing to be noticed was the stench. It was disgusting, one of those scents that the second one inhaled it, the burning sensations spread through your nasal cavities and brought tears to your eyes with the sharp smell. The desk was worn and there seemed to be scratches, claw marks across the face of the wooden structure. Stains that all three of the boys refused to think about or mention, there were dark curtains that were worn and moth bitten. Some of the window panes shattered, likely from kids who thought it would be fun to toss rocks at the old Wayne Manor, the shards spread across the stained dark red carpet. 

A large leather love seat was set off to the side, the leather worn and peeling. Right behind the love seat was a wardrobe, one that Jason knew was not a good idea to look into. He knew the purpose and these two highschoolers only know so much about the tragedies that took place in the Wayne Manor. Beyond that was the cedar chest Jason had mentioned, shoved tightly into a corner of the study. Jason made his way towards it as Wally and Roy stood and took in the room around them. The lid of the chest popped off without much tugging, which Jason was thankful for as he had no clue on how long ago the chest had been opened. The box itself reaked, the stench of old blood and tissues clinging to the cloth, despite the time that had passed. Jason could hear Wally and Roy gag and cough behind him as the smell hit, and he smiled for just a moment in vague satisfaction at the fact that he was unable to smell or taste. 

“Did you guys happen to bring anything that you could carry some bones in?” Jason snarked, looking behind him at Wally and Roy. “‘Cause that’d be awesome right about now, unless you wanna take the whole chest?”

“We’ll take the chest, just close the lid!” Roy shouted, while Jason laughed at his distress. 

“How are you not freaking out about this?” Wally asked exasperatedly as Jason slammed that lid back onto the cedar chest.

“Death isn’t so bad, and after coming back from the dead you don’t really care about the corpses much.” Jason explained idly, motioning for Roy and Wally to begin lifting the chest. 

“It’s your brother!” Wally shouted.

“Adoptive brother.” 

“What the hell are you doing in Bruce’s study, Jason?” A voice called from the doorway.

“Tim.” Jason groaned.


	4. To Start a Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally and Roy dispose of a body.

"What are you doing in dad's study?" Tim asked coldly, the boy seemed about sixteen and looked on with a critical expression.

"Uh, getting a body out of here? What does it look like?" Jason replied easily, tone harsh and full of malice.

Roy and Wally looked between each other as the two glared into one another's eyes.

"You know Bruce hates us in his study, unless by his orders." Tim insisted.

"Oh yeah, but dear old dad ain't here. I was hoping to avoid his little snitch too, but here we are." Jason leered, "Now can you move out of our way, we've gotta go. Errands and all that."

"Oh yeah, ghost errands, so many." Wally laughed nervously while Roy rolled his eyes, breaking Tim's strict concentration on Jason.

"Who the hell are they?" He demanded harshly.

" _ They _ are helping me and Dick, so just don't worry about it." Jason replied, pushing past the opposing ghost. 

"Does Bruce know?"

"That depends, what answer will get you off my ass?" Jason questioned as he led the two humans who carried the chest down the stairs.

"Jason! He's going to be pissed." Tim insisted in a huff.

"Fuck, Tim. Just go do something else, even better, go get Dick for us." He responded, clearly both not giving a shit and perturbed by the annoyance.

The teen disappeared with a slight  _ pop  _ and the three were left in silence once more as they reached the foyer. 

"What the fuck." Was the first thing Roy had to say on the matter. "What's his damage?"

"Honestly, no fucking clue. He's got this weird hero worship for Bruce even though, he I don't know.. killed him? He's always been like this, like 'oh Bruce beat me today, let me complain about it' and the only thing he's got to say is 'what did you do to deserve it?' and fuck that."

\-----

"...and your afterlife is the same." Bruce muttered in that dark tone he'd always had when staking a claim on one of his boys. 

"The hell it is," Dick's anger flared. "You controlled my life and took it away, I'm not going to stand for that any longer."

The blue aura that had stuck around since his appearance as a ghost brightened, seeming to expand. Bruce looked on curiously, there seemed to be more to - at least - Dick on the front of ghostly abilities. Though before more could happen, experiments or otherwise, a soft  _ pop _ signaled the arrival of another. 

"Bruce, I need to discuss something with you." Tim started, giving a light nod of his head to attempt to signal Dick to leave.

"Tim, I'm busy-" Bruce began to protest before Dick interrupted.

"It's fine, I'm done talking to you anyway."

And with that, Dick exited and hurried off to the main door. It took longer than he would've liked, but eventually the other three came into view, as well as a large wooden chest of which he assumed carried his remains.

"So how are we going to do this?" Wally prompted the two undead.

"Well.. we take it outside and see if I can go with you?" Dick suggested.

"What are we gonna do with the chest." Roy asked, before they could go any further with this plan.

"Destroy it." Jason replied easily, urging the living out the door. 

"What? Won't that like, be a release from the living realm completely or some shit like that?" Roy said, ignoring the intangible hands that attempted to get them out the large door. 

"Just trust me on this, burn it." Jason rolled his eyes, while Wally nodded in some form of agreement.

"It sort of makes sense, losing the tether that keeps him here." Wally explained.

"I don't mind either way, can we just go?" Dick insisted.

Wally, for one, thought it was strange watching Dick, who always seemed rather solid looking inside the dark hall of the manor, turn translucent in the light of the sun. Something that had the man (kid?) staring out into the world with awe. 

The Wayne Manor grounds were rather far from the actual city of Gotham, reclusive only in a way that came off as strange or creepy. As if they were hiding something, but then again Bruce Wayne had always come off as a total airhead and unable, not bright enough, to commit a crime. Let alone one as extreme as the ones that have been said to have taken place on the grounds.

Roy and Wally carried the chest, while Dick followed after them glancing around rapidly, refusing to miss anything the outside had to offer. Wally felt a pang in his chest at the thought, over fifty years trapped with your worst nightmare. He could relate on a vague personal level. They carried the chest slightly off the Wayne grounds, setting it down heavily against the dry, overgrown grass. 

They didn't have an accelerant to make the burning process faster, just a cigarette lighter that Roy had on him at all times. 

"Do you think this'll work?" Wally asked, a slight waver in his voice.

"It has to, Wally." Dick insisted, "Now, could you light it up already?" 

Roy shrugged but light the lighter and dropped the flame against the old wooden. The spot charred slightly but didn't spread much, if at all.

"We need gasoline or something." Dick muttered heavily, seeming stressed with the series of events.

"Oh yeah, I just carry gasoline around with me." Roy replied sarcastically, pulling up some grass and lighting the handful before throwing it on top of the cedar chest. 

"Do you have any hoses around?" Wally asked suddenly, pulling Dick's eyes away from the sad attempt of burning the piece of furniture.

"Probably around the side of the manor, why?"

"We could use it to syphon gas out of Roy's truck." The ginger replied excitedly.

Roy opened his mouth to protest, but by the time he had the two were already gone.

\-----

It was just a basic green hose, of which they managed to cut a chunk to use out of with some gardening shears from a gardening shed a little ways away from the manor itself. Grabbing a pail to carry the gasoline in as well, before hurrying to the front gates of the grounds where Roy had parked when they arrived. 

Wally unlatched the gas cap and stuck one end into the tank and the other in his mouth. Sucking on the end slightly to where the gasoline gets about halfway up the hose section before dropping it into the pail. Continuing this, the boys filed the pail about a quarter of the way before rushing back to where Roy still attempted to light the chest on fire, only succeeding in charring small sections.

"We're back!" Wally exclaimed, his grin wide as he handed the bucket over to Roy.

"Did you at least make sure not to empty the entire tank?" He asked drily, Wally shrugged.

Pouring the gasoline over the chest and throwing a handful of grass on to act as the ignition. 

The chest light up in a blaze, the pillar of smoke could be seen from the inside of the manor. 

Bruce felt as if a piece of himself had faded, the shadows that seemed to make up his new body seemed to be lighter. Less potent, a spark of rage was ignited from deep within where his gut used to be.

"What is this?" He asked, scathing with a scowl and glare to match.

"The humans." Tim replied with an intake of breath.

"Did you have anything to do with this, Timothy?" 

Dark, sharp fear was injected into Tim's veins. This wasn't a good sign, and he did have a part, as small as it may have been.

All Tim knew is that he was going to pay for letting them leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might seem a little scattered, I had a rough time writing it and it happened only in quick spurts of inspiration. But I wanted to get this one out without months in between! Hope you enjoyed either way.
> 
> I plan on writing what actually happened to them before this story in this au. I was wondering if you'd prefer these stories in flashbacks or their own story?


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